Things I Know 285 of 365: I’m thinking about next semester

Bores can be divided into two classes; those who have their own particular subject, and those who do not need a subject.

– A.A. Milne

Tonight, as I approach the midweek mark of my last week of classes for the semester, I started looking at possible courses for the spring semester.

As I’ve already said, I’ll be taking every course credit/no credit in an attempt to further focus on the learning and not the grades.

I’ve an overabundance of options moving forward. Here’s what I’m looking at so far:

Managing Change with Prof. Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Way back in the spring, just after I’d decided to enroll, I got an e-mail from my mom. She was excited to have made the connection that Kanter, one of her idols was a faculty member here. Add to that the fact Kanter’s work has come up in three of my four courses this semester and that I’ve used pieces of her research in my own writing, and this course is a strong contender.

Intermediate Statistics with Prof. Andrew Ho

My statistics course has been the dark horse of the semester. As John Becker pointed out it really is like learning a new language. For the first time in my academic life, I feel like I’m working toward fluency in a foreign language. Additionally, I’m truly enjoying looking at research from a different and more informed perspective. Being able to pull articles and reports apart to see what makes them tick feels great. That joy of learning puts this course ahead of most others.

Advanced Digital Studies in Politics, Policy and Media with Prof. Nicco Mele

If you’re reading this post, you’ve probably got a good idea why this course appeals to me. The fact that it is the advanced course makes me think it’ll challenge my current level of knowledge and broaden my understanding of how the tools I use to see and interact with the world are being utilized by those in neighboring ecologies.

State Education Policy: A Practicum with Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville

Particularly enticing in this course are the two words after the hyphen. I’ve lamented this semester the lack of opportunities to do real work and build things. Not only would the course build my knowledge around policy and the state, that knowledge would be built through practical application. That is enticing.

The Federal Government in the Schools with Prof. Tom Hehir

I’ve had the opportunity to hear Hehir speak on a few occasions since I arrived. Each time, I’ve been impressed with his candor and knowledge. He knows from where he speaks and is here to help share that knowledge. The course is also practical, which puts it neck-and-neck with Sec. Reville’s course.

Either way, I am required to enroll in any of the policy courses listed here as the final requirement of my program. Both Reville and Hehir’s class would fit the bill.

I can’t pretend I’ve seen all the options. In addition to pretty much any course listed here, the offerings of MIT and Tufts are also open to me. Enrollment is a ways away, and I’m open to any suggestions. What would you take?

One thought on “Things I Know 285 of 365: I’m thinking about next semester”

  1. I don't have any specific recommendations, but if you ever feel like you're running out of courses to take at Harvard perhaps you should consider coming to Boulder and studying at the National Education Policy Center — particularly if you think a PhD might be in your future. If you're interested in details, just let me know.

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